Guide structure for drawers and the like



F. H. METCALF GUIDE STRUCTURE FOR DRAWERS AND THE LIKE Filed Aug. 10, 1953 2 Sheets-g 1 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS.

May 29, 1956 F. H. METCALF GUIDE STRUCTURE FOR DRAWERS AND THE LIKE Filed Aug. 10, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A TTORNEYS.

United States Patent GUIDE STRUCTURE FOR DRAWERS AND THE LIKE Frank H. Metcalf, Los Angeles, (Ialif.

Application August 10, 1953, Serial No. 373,397

9 Claims. (Cl. 308-3.8)

This invention relates to supporting and guiding structures for drawers or other slidably mounted devices such as trays, slides or frames which are extensible and retractable within a cabinet or other enclosing structure. The guide structure of my invention is adapted particularly for use as a bottom mounted guide structure for drawers and the like, in which the guide structure is mounted at the bottom of the drawer or other slidable device, being generally located substantially centrally thereof. However, such guide structure is also adapted to be mounted above the drawer or other slidable device.

An important object of the invention is to provide a guide structure which is smooth and easy in operation and which keeps the drawer or the like in true alinement, both vertically and horizontally, throughout its range of movement.

Another object is to provide a guide structure that eliminates sticking and binding and prevents any substantial or excessive tilting of the drawer throughout its range of movement.

A further object is to provide a guide structure in which the possibility of side play or lateral displacement is substantially eliminated.

A further object is to provide a guide structure that is simple and easy to install with a minimum of labor or other cost, and which may be readily installed in con ventional center guide drawer constructions or other forms of drawer construction.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be pointed out hereinafter or will be apparent from the following description. This description refers particularly to use of the guide structure in connection with a drawer, but it will be understood that it may be similarly used in connection with other slidably mounted devices such as mentioned above.

The guide structure comprises two guides, one of which is adapted to be secured to fixed supporting means such as an element or elements of a housing, cabinet or case in which a drawer is to be mounted, and the other of which is adapted to be secured to the drawer. These guides may be referred to respectively as the case guide and the drawer guide.

Each of these guides comprises a horizontally elongated hollow track of generally rectangular cross section having a wall or flange extending slidably within an elongated slot in the other track and carrying at one end a rotatably mounted roiler located within the other track between the top and bottom walls thereof.

A particular object of the invention, in preferred forms thereof, is to provide a guide structure in which the two guides are similar in configuration and construction, so that the hollow tracks of both guides may be formed from the same rectangular tubing, and each of the guides can be used interchangeably, either as the case guide or the drawer guide.

Another object of the invention is to provide an advantageous means for supporting the roller of each guide 2,747,943 Patented. May 29, 1956 rotatably on the track, in such manner as to provide a strong support that prevents tilting of the roller relative to the track under loads imposed thereon during operation. I

A further object of the invention is to provide a guide structure that may be mounted either at the bottom or top of a drawer or the like.

The apparatus will be more fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a preferred form of guide structure in accordance with this invention as seen from a position in front of and above the drawer at the left side thereof, the guide structure being mounted below the drawer with the case guide and drawer guide mounted on a fixed support and the drawer respectively, and with the drawer and the tracks of the guides partly broken away and the drawer in partly extended position;

Fig. 2 is a partly sectional side elevation of the guide structure shown in Fig. 1, as seen from the right side thereof, 011 a larger scale than Fig. 1 and with the middle portion thereof broken away, the drawer guide being in a retracted position relative to the case guide;

Fig. 3 is a front end view of the guide structure, taken from the left end of Fig. 2 with a portion of the fixed support shown in elevation and a portion of the drawer bottom shown in section;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on line 4-4 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a front end view showing the same guide structure mounted at the top of a drawer or other slidable device; and

Fig. 6 is a front end view of a modified form of guide structure in accordance with my invention, mounted below the drawer as in Figs. 1 and 3.

The preferred form of guide structure shown in Figs. 1 through 4 comprises two guides G1 and G2, each of which is adapted to be mounted and employed as either a case guide or a drawer guide. In the arrangement as shown in the drawings and specifically described herein, the guide G1 serves as the case guide and the guide G2 serves as the drawer guide, and the respective guides will be generally so designated hereinafter.

Each guide comprises a horizontally elongated hollow track T1, T2 respectively, of generally rectangular cr0sssection, and a roller R1, R2 mounted at one end of the track for rotation about a transverse horizontal axis, the case guide roller R1 being mounted adjacent the forward end of the case guide track T1, and the drawer guide roller R2 being mounted adjacent the rear end of the drawer guide track T2. Each roller projects laterally outward from the track on which it is mounted, so as to be disposed within the other track when the guides are mounted in operative position with the respective tracks extending alongside each other as shown in the drawings.

The case guide track T1 has a horizontal mounting wall 11, an inner side flange 12 secured to and extending vertically from said mounting wall at the inner edge thereof, an outer wall 13 secured to and extending vertically from the mounting wall 11 at the outer edge thereof and spaced laterally from the flange 12, and a second horizontal wall or flange 14 secured to and extending inward from the outer side wall 13 at the edge thereof opposite the mounting wall 11. The inner edge of flange 14 is spaced laterally outward from the adjacent edge of the inner side flange 12, to define a narrow elongated slot 15 in the track T1, adjacent (i. e., at or near) the inner corner thereof which is spaced vertiwall 16, an inner side flange 17 secured to and extending vertically from said bottom wall at the inner edge thereof, an outer side wall 16 secured to and extending vertically from the mounting wall 16 at the outer edge thereof and spaced laterally from the flange l7, and a second horizontal wall or flange It) secured to and extending inward from the outer side wall 18 at the edge thereof opposite the mounting wall 16. The inner edge of flange 19 is spaced laterally outward from the adjacent edge of the inner side flange 17, to define a narrow elongated slot 29 in the track T2, adjacent (i. e., at or near) the inner corner thereof which is spaced vertically from the mounting wall 16, said slot extending longitudinally of the track for the full length of its wall at'the' position of said slot.

The tracks T1 and T2 may be formed by cutting sections of the desired length from a long piece of rectangnlar tubing provided with an elongated slot adjacent one corner, and such slotted rectangular tubing is preferably formed by subjectin a length of flat metal strip to a progressive rolling operation.

A portion 12a of the inner side flange 12 adjacent the forward end of track T1, and a portion 3.7a of the inner side flange 17 adjacent the rear end of track T2, are each offset slightly in a direction laterally outward from the track, as by embossing these portions of said flanges. A roller mounting bracket or strap 21 is secured at each end, as by rivets 22, to each of the offset flange portions 12a and 17a, and the middle portion of each bracket 1 projects outward of the respective track and is spaced laterally outward from the respective flange 12 or 17, to receive the roller R1 or R2. The rollers are preferably formed of plastic, such as a polyarnide plastic of the type known as nylon, and are shown as mounted rotatably on long rivets 23 secured at their inner ends to the offset flange portions 12a and 17a respectively, and at their outer ends to the respective brackets 21. The outward offsetting of the flange portions 12a and 17:: provides clearance space for the heads of rivets 2 and "3, and also stiffens the flanges at the locations of the rollers so as to provide increased resistance to bending of. the flanges under vertical loads imposed on the rollers during operation and thereby prevent tilting of the rollers relative to the tracks.

The mounting walls of the tracks are provided with means for attaching one of them to a fixed support and the other to a drawer or the like. For this purpose, the mounting wall 11 of the case guide track T1 and the mounting wall 7rd of the drawer guide track T2 may be each provided with openings for receiving attaching .ietnbers, and each of said walls is preferably provided with at least one such opening adjacent each end thereof. For use with wood drawers and cases, the attaching members are preferably screws. 1 have shown the walls 11 and 16 as each provided. with a transverse slot 26 adjacent each. end of the respective track, and with an additional slot 27 extending longitudinally of the track adjacent one end thereof. The longitudinal slots 27 are preferably located adjacent the same ends of the tracks as the respective rollers, that is, the forward end of the case guide track T1 and the rear end of the drawer guide track T2.

Portions of the walls of the tracks T1 and T2 are preferably cut away to provide open notches at suitable positions to facilitate certain operations. These open notches, as well as the above mentioned slots 26 and 27, are preferably formed by punching out suitable portions of the rectangular tubing from which the tracks are cut.

In the particular construction shown, portions of t e horizontal flange 14 and outer side wall 13 adjacent the forward end of the case guide track T1 are cut away as shown at 23, and. portions of. the horizontal flange 19 and outer side wall 18 adjacent the rear end of the drawer guide track T are cut away as shown at 29, so as to provide open notches for access of dies for emguide.

bossing the respective offset flange portions 12:! and 17a, and for access of suitable tools to the ends of rivets 22 and 23 in mounting the brackets 21 and the rollers R1 and R2 during manufacture of the guides. These notches also permit access of a screw driver for driving screws through either of the slots 26 or 27 adjacent the forward end of the case guide track T1 and the rear end of the drawer guide track T2, during mounting thereof. Portions of the same flanges and side walls of the respective tracks are also shown as cut away at 31 adjacent the rear end of the case guide track T1 and at 32 adjacent the forward end of the drawer guide track T2, to facilitate driving screws through the transverse mounting slots 26 at those positions.

In Fig. 1, the above described guides are shown mounted in operative position on a case or cabinet C and a drawer D, at the bottom of the drawer, by means of screws passed through the above described slots in the mounting walls of the respective tracks. The case guide track T1 is secured by a screw 36, adjacent its forward end, to the upper side of a transverse frame member 37 of the case C and by screw 38, adjacent its rear end, to the upper side of a longitudinal frame member 3? of the case. The drawer guide track T2 is secured by screws 41 and 42, adjacent its forward and rear ends respectively, to the drawer D at the lower side of the bottom member 43. The screws 33' and 41 are driven through transverse slots 26, and the screws 36 and 4-2 are driven through either transverse slots 26 (as shown) or through the longitudinal slots 27, depending upon the length of the drawer and case on which the guides are mounted.

When only a single pair of guides is used for each drawer, the guides are preferably mounted substantially centrally of the drawer, that is, adjacent a vertical plane extending centrally and longitudinally of the drawer, as indicated by the lines at L-L in Figs. 3 and 4. When mounted in this manner, the tracks are mounted in such positions that the inner faces of the respective inner side flanges 12 and 17 are located at the longitudinal center line LL of the case and drawer, respectively.

When the tracks are so mounted, the structure is assembled by inserting the drawer guide roller R2 into the case guide track T1 through the forward end thereof, and inserting the case guide roller R1 into the drawer guide track T2 through the rear end thereof, while at the same time entering the inner side flange 17 of the drawer guide within the longitudinal guide slot 15 of the case guide, and entering the inner side flange 12 of the case guide within the longitudinal guide slot 2% of the drawer This'assembly is facilitated by the notches provided by cutting away portions of the case guide track adjacent its forward end, at 28, and portions of the drawer guide track adjacent its rearward end, at 29, as described above. These notches permit the respective rollers R2 and R1 to be readily positioned Within the notched forward end portion of the case guide track Ti and the notched rearward endportion of the drawer guide track 2, without any possibility of the projecting heads of mounting screws 36 and 42 interfering with the insertion of the rollers into the respective tracks, and the rollers are then easily guided into the tracks by sliding the drawer rearward.

When so assembled, the roller of each guide is disposed rotatably within the track of the other guide, and the inner side flange (12 or 17) of each guide extends through the longitudinal guide slot (26 or 15) and within the hollow track of the other guide.

When the guide structure is mounted below or at the bottom of the drawer as described above and shown in Figs. 1 and '3, the mounting wall 11 of the case guide track T1 is the bottom wallcf said track and the second horizontal wall or flange 1 is the top wall of; the track, while the mounting wall 16 of the drawer guide track Tris thetop wall of .said. track. and the second horizontal wall or flange 19' is the bottom wall thereof. When so tively, of the case guide.

arranged, the longitudinal guide slot of the case guide track T1 is in the top wall of said track adjacent the upper inner corner thereof, and the longitudinal guide slot of the drawer guide track T2 is in the bottom wall of said track adjacent the lower inner corner thereof.

The inner side flange 12 of the case guide track projects upward from the bottom wall 11 thereof, through the elongated slot 20 of the drawer guide track and within the latter track, while the inner side flange 17 of the drawer guide track projects downward from the top wall 16 thereof, through the elongated slot 15 of the case guide track and within said case guide track. The two flanges 12 and 17 are thus disposed in closely spaced slidable relation laterally with respect to each other. The transverse width of each of the guide slots 15 and 20, as determined by the lateral spacing between the inner side flange 12 and the inner edge of top flange 14 of the case guide track, and between the inner side flange 17 and the inner edge of bottom flange 19 of the drawer guide track, is slightly greater than the thickness of the respective side flange 17 or 12 which extends through said slot, so that the walls of each track are in closely spaced slidable relation laterally with respect to the opposite faces of the respective flange 17 or 12 of the other track. This relation serves to maintain the draw er in proper alinement horizontally throughout its range of movement, and prevents excessive side play or lateral displacement thereof, while at the same time avoiding any binding or sticking of the drawer due to frictional engagement of either of these flanges with the other track in any position of movement. For example, the width of each of the slots 15 and 20 may be from about .010 to .025 inch greater than the thickness of the flanges 17 and 12, and I have found that a designed clearance of about .017 or .018 inch is generally advantageous in order to provide free sliding movement of the drawer and avoid appreciable side play thereof, while making due allowance for ordinary manufacturing tolerances.

The diameter of each roller is slightly less than the vertical distance between the top and bottom walls of the tracks, so that each roller normally engages only one of these walls at any one time, depending upon the position of the drawer and the vertical forces acting thereon. Forexample, the diameter of each roller may be from about .01 to .02 inch less than the inside height of the track in which it engages, and I have found that a vertical clearance of about .015 inch is generally advantageous in order to provide free operation of the rollers while at the same time permitting only negligible tilting of the drawer.

The rollers are mounted at such levels on the respective tracks that the top and bottom of each roller are slightly above the top and bottom of the track on which it is mounted. Thus, when the guides are assembled, the drawer guide G2 is supported with the top wall 16 and bottom wall 19 of its track disposed at slightly higher levels than the top wall 14 and bottom wall 11, respec- Consequently, as best seen in Fig. 3, the drawer guide track T2 and the bottom member 43 of the drawer are supported above, and free from engagement with, the case frame members 37 and 39, and the case guide track T1, respectively.

Whenthe drawer is at rest in its innermost or fully retracted position, the drawer guide G1 and case guide G2 are in the relative positions shown in Fig. 2. The drawer is supported at its forward end by engagement of the top wall 16 of the drawer guide track with the case guide roller R1, and at its rearward end by engagement of the drawer guide roller R2 with the bottom wall 11 of the case guide track. If the drawer is moved forward to a partly extended position such as shown in Fig. 1, without the application of an upward force sulficient to raise the front end thereof, the drawer remains supported in the same manner. The top wall 16 of the drawer guide track rides on the case guide roller R1 which rotates freely on its mounting on the case guide track, and the drawer guide roller R2 rotates freely on its mounting on the drawer guide track and rides on the bottom wall 11 of the case guide track. If, still without lifting, the draw er is further extended until the center of gravity thereof passes forward beyond the case guide roller R1, the front of the drawer will tilt slightly downward, moving the drawer guide roller R2 upward slightly, out of engagement with the bottom wall 11 and into engagement with the top wall 14 of the case guide track. During further forward movement to fully extended position, the drawer guide roller R2 rides in rolling engagement with said top wall, while the top wall 16 of the drawer guide track continues to ride on the case guide roller R1. The above operations are reversed during normal rearward movement of the drawer from fully extended toretracted position.

If an upward force is exerted to lift the forward end of the drawer during movement thereof, the drawer will be tilted slightly, raising the forward end of the drawer guide track to remove the top wall 16 thereof from engagement with the case guide roller R1'and bring the bottom wall 19 of said track into riding engagement with said roller. The drawer guide roller R2 will either remain in engagement with, or be moved into engagement with, the bottom wall 11 of the case guide track. It will be seen, therefore, that the drawer may be moved freely and easily with the track of each guide in free-running engagement with the roller of the other guide, in all positions of the drawer with respect to its movement relative to the case in which it is mounted, and regardless of the direction of the vertical force applied to the front end of the drawer.

When only a single guide structure as described above is provided for each drawer, as described above, the guides G and G2 are preferably so mounted relative to, the case and the drawer that, if the drawer were balanced on the guide structure so as to be supported wholly thereby, the lower edges of the drawer side walls would have a light running clearance above some fixed support member of the case, such as the transverse frame member 37. During normal operation, the drawer will therefore move in light free-running engagement with the case at one or the other of the side walls depending upon the lateral weight distribution of the drawer and its contents, while the major portion of the weight will be carried by the guide structure.

It will be apparent from the above description that the two guide members may be mounted and used interchangeably, with either one mounted on the case or the drawer. For example, if the complete guide structure were simply inverted by turning it end-for-end in the the plane of Fig. 2, the guide track T2 would then be at a lower level than the guide track T1; the roller R2 would be at the forward end of the track T2, and the roller R1 would be at the rearward end of the track T1; and the roller R2 would be at a higher level than the roller R1. The tracks T2 and T1 could then be secured to the case and drawer respectively, in a manner comparable to that described above except that, if viewed from the forward end as in Fig. 3, the track T2 mounted on the case would be at the right side of the center line L--L, and the track T1 mounted on the drawer would be at the left side of the center line.

Fig. 5 shows how the same guide structure may be mounted at the top of a drawer or other sliding device. In this case also, either of guides may be mounted on the drawer or the case respectively, but I have shown the respective guides in the positions they would have if the complete structure were simply turned in the plane of Fig. 3.

With the parts in this position, the guide G1 is again the case guide, and the guide G2 is the drawer guide. The mounting wall 11 of the case guide track T 1, which is now the top wall of said track, is secured to the bottom face of a member 51 of a case or other fixed support.

The mounting wall 16 of the drawer guide trackv T g, which is now the bottom wall thereof, is secured to the top face of amember 52 of the drawer or other sliding member. The other horizontal Wall or flange 14 becomes the bottom wall of track T1, and the other horizontal wall .or flange 19 becomes the top wall of track T2. The elongated slot is in the bottom wall of the case guide track adjacent the lower inner corner thereof, and the elongated slot 20 is in the top wall of the drawer guide track adjacent the upper inner corner thereof.

The inner side flange 12 of the case guide track T1 projects downward through slot 20 and within the drawer guide track T2, and the inner side flange 17 of the drawer guide track projects upward through the slot 15 and within the case guide track. As before, the tracks are in close fitting slidable relation to the respective flanges i2 and 17 adjacent the positions .of the respective elongated guide slots, so as to maintain the drawer in proper horizontal alinement and prevent excessive side play, m the same manner as described above.

The case guide roller R1, mounted rotatably on the track T1 adjacent the forward end thereof, is disposed within the track T2, and the drawer guide roller R2, mounted rotatably on the track T2 adjacent the rearward end thereof, is disposed within the track T1. The structure thus serves to support and guide the drawer relative to the case in the same manner as before, and the rollers R1 and R2 are similarly positioned for rolling engagement with the top and bottom walls of the respective tracks Ta and T1 to maintain the drawer in proper vertical alinement and prevent excessive tilting thereof.

The mounting Walls of the respective tracks may, as before, be secured to the drawer and case in any suitable manner as by means of screws passed through the above described slots 26, 27 in said walls. In this instance, however, the case guide track T1 is suspended below the fixed support to which it is secured, and the drawer is suspended below the drawer guide track T2, so that the screws or other attaching means employed must be capable of supporting the weight of the parts carried thereby.

Fig. 6 illustrates a modified form of guide structure in accordance with my invention, comprising two guide members G3 and G4, each comprising an elongated track T3 or T4 and a roller R3 or R4. Except as described below,

these members and the elements associated therewith are similar to the above mentioned members G1, G2, T1, T2, and R1, R2 respectively and their associated elements, and are similarly formed and connected to each other.

In this modified construction, the elongated slot 15' of the track T3 and the elongated slot 24? of the track T4 are located in the inner side walls of the respective tracks instead of in horizontal walls opposite the mounting walls of the tracks, and the inner side wall of each track is provided with a portion extending horizontally through the slot in the other track.

The guide structure is shown as mounted at the bottom of a drawer, as in Figs. 1 and 3, the horizontal mounting wall 11 of track T3 being secured as before to a fixed support 56 and the horizontal mounting wall 16' of track T4 being secured to the bottom wall 57 of a drawer. The inner edges of the other horizontal walls or flanges 14' and 19* are spaced vertically from the adjacent edges of the vertical inner side flanges or walls 12' and 17' of the respective tracks, to define the longitudinal slots 15' and 2%, respectively, which extend horizontally the inner side walls of the tracks. The portions of the inner side flanges 12' and 17 adjacent the respective mounting walls are offset inwardly of the tracks to provide laterally extending wall portions 53 and 59 which extend through the respective slots 29 and 15. The inner edges of horizontal flanges 14 and 19' are so positioned relative to the inner side flanges 12' and 17 as to provide a slight clearance between these parts of each track and the adjacent parts of the inner side flange of the other tracks, the total clear- $5 ance so provided in each case being, for example, from about .010 to .025 inch.

It will be seen that, in this form of construction, the elongated slots 15 and 2b are again located adjacent the inner corners of the respective tracks which are spaced vertically from the mounting walls of the tracks, and the portions of each track adjacent said slot are in closely spaced slidable relation to the lateral faces of the inner side flange of the other track, so as to maintain the drawer in horizontal alinement as described above.

The rollers R3 and R4 are mounted rotatably on the inner side flanges 12' and 17 by means of brackets 21 in the same manner as before, the case guide roller Rs being mounted adjacent the forward end of the case guide track T3 and disposed within the drawer guide track T2, and the drawer guide roller R4 being mounted adjacent the rearward end of the drawer guide track T4 and disposed within the case guide track T3. Thus, the roller on each track is positioned for rolling engagement with the vertically spaced horizontal walls of the other track, in the same manner as described above.

The vertical clearance between the laterally extending wall portions 58 and 59 and the portions of the track walls above and below the slots 15' and 20' is slightly greater than the vertical clearance between the rollers and the tracks, so that the rollers may engage either the top or bottom walls of the respective tracks without causing any binding or sticking when the wall portions 58 and 59 pass through the slots.

The operation of this modified form of guide structure is substantially the same as described previously.

It will be apparent that the two guides Ga and G4 may be mounted interchangeably in the same manner as described above in connection with guides G1 and G2, and that this form of guide structure may also be mounted above a drawer or other sliding member, in the same manner as illustrated in Fig. 5.

In most cases, I prefer to use only a single pair of interengaging guides for each drawer, with one guide mounted on the case and the other on the drawer, as illustrated in the drawings and described above, and an important advantage of this guide structure is that only a single pair of guides is required to slidably support and guide the drawer. It will be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the use of only a single pair of guides for each drawer. In some cases, it may be desirable to provide two or more pairs of such guides for each drawer or other slidable device, and such guide structure may be mounted at suitably spaced positions at the bottom or top. of the drawer or other slidable member, with one guide of each pair secured to a case or other fixed support and:

he other guide of each pair secured to the slidable mem- I claim:

1. A guide structure for drawers and the like, comprising: two guides each comprising a horizontally elongated hollow track of generally rectangular cross-section, each track having a horizontal mounting wall and being formed to provide a narrow longitudinally extending slot adjacent one corner thereof spaced vertically from said mounting wall; each track having an inner side wall projecting substantially vertically from its mounting wall and extending slidably through the slot in the other track and within the other track adjacent said inner side Wall of the other track; each track also having a second horizontal Wall spaced vertically from its mounting wall, and an outer side wall spaced horizontally from its inner side wall and connecting the two horizontal walls of that track; said two horizontal walls and outer side wall of each track being locate utside of he o her track; and ach guide further omprising a roller mounted on sai inner side wall of: its track for rotation about a transverse horizontal axis and disposed within the other track and between the two horizontal walls of said other track, said rollers being mounted adjacent opposite ends of the respective tracks.

2. A guide structure for drawers and the like comprising: two guides each comprising a horizontally elongated hollow track of generally rectangular cross-section; one of said tracks having a horizontal mounting wall at the bottom thereof, a second horizontal wall at the top thereof, and a narrow longitudinally extending slot adjacent an upper corner thereof; the other of said tracks having a horizontal mounting wall at the top thereof, a second horizontal wall at the bottom thereof, and a narrow longitudinally extending slot adjacent a lower corner thereof; said one track having an inner side wall projecting upward from its mounting wall and extending slidably through said slot in the other track and within the other track; said other track having an inner side wall projecting downward from its mounting wall and extending slidably through said slot in said one track and within said one track adjacent said inner side wall of said one track; each of said tracks having an outer side wall spaced horizontally from its inner side wall and connecting its two horizontal walls; said two horizontal walls and outer side wall of each track being located outside of the other track; and each guide further comprising a roller mounted on said inner side wall of its track for rotation about a transverse horizontal axis and disposed within the track of the other guide and between the two horizontal Walls thereof, said rollers being mounted adjacent opposite ends of the respective tracks.

3. A guide structure as set forth in claim 2, in which the portions of the track of each guide adjacent its longitudinally extending slot are in closely spaced slidable relation laterally with respect to the opposite sides of said inner side wall of the track of the other guide.

4. A guide structure for drawers and the like comprising: two guides each comprising a horizontally elongated hollow track of generally rectangular cross-section; one of said tracks having a horizontal mounting wall at the bottom thereof and a narrow longitudinally extending slot adjacent an upper corner thereof; the other of said tracks having a horizontal mounting wall at the top thereof and a narrow longitudinally extending slot adjacent a lower corner thereof; said one track having an inner side wall projecting upward from its mounting wall and extending slidably through said slot in the other track and Within the other track; said other track having an inner side wall projecting downward from its mounting wall and extending slidably through said slot in said one track and within said one track in closely spaced slidable relation laterally with respect to said inner side wall of said one track; said inner side wall of each track having a portion adjacent one end thereof otfset outwardly of that track, said offset portions being adjacent opposite ends of the respective tracks; and each guide further comprising a bracket secured to said offset wall portion of its track and projecting outwardly therefrom, and a roller mounted on said offset wall portion and said bracket for rotation about a transverse horizontal axis and disposed within the track of the other guide.

5. A guide structure for drawers and the like comprising: two guides each comprising a horizontally elongated hollow track of generally rectangular cross-section; one of said tracks having a narrow longitudinally extending slot in its top wall adjacent its inner side wall; the other of said tracks having a narrow longitudinally extending slot in its bottom wall adjacent its inner side wall; said inner side wall of said one track projecting upward from the bottom wall thereof through said slot of the other track, and extending within said other track and in closely spaced slidable relation to the walls thereof; said inner side wall of said other track projecting downward from the top wall thereof through said slot of said one track, and extending within said one track and in closely spaced slidable relation to the walls thereof; and each guide further comprising a roller mounted on said inner side wall of its track for rotation about a transverse 10 horizontal axis and disposed within the track of the other guide in closely spaced relation to the top and bottom walls of said track, said rollers being mounted adjacent opposite ends of the respective tracks;

6. A guide structure for drawers and the like, comprising: two guides each comprising a horizontally elongated hollow track of generally rectangular cross-section, a support bracket secured to one side wall of said track and projecting laterally outward therefrom, and a roller mounted on said bracket and said one side wall for rotation about a transverse horizontal axis; each track having a longitudinal slot at one corner thereof adjacent said one side wall adapted to slidably receive a portion of said one side wall of the other track; whereby said guides may be assembled in slidable relation to each other with said one side wall of each track extending slidably through the slot in the other track and within the other track in closely spaced slidable relation laterally with respect to said one side wall of the other track, with the rollers of the respective guides disposed at opposite ends thereof, and with the roller of each guide within the track of the other guide.

7. A bottom mounted guide structure for drawers and the like, comprising: a case guide and a drawer guide each comprising a horizontally elongated hollow track of generally rectangular cross-section having top and bottom walls and inner and outer side walls; the case guide track having an elongated narrow slot in its top wall adjacent the inner side wall thereof; the drawer guide track having an elongated narrow slot in its bottom wall adjacent the inner side wall thereof; said inner side wall of each track extending slidably through the slot in the other track and Within the other track adjacent said inner side wall of the other track with the inner faces of the two inner side Walls in closely spaced slidable relation laterally with respect to each other, the outer face of the inner side wall of the case guide track in closely spaced slidable relation laterally with respect to the inner edge of the bottom wall of the drawer guide track adjacent the slot therein, and the outer face of the inner side wall of the drawer guide track in closely spaced slidable relation laterally with respect to the inner edge of the top wall of the case guide track adjacent the slot therein; said case guide track having a roller mounted rotatably on said inner side wall thereof outside of the case guide track and adjacent its forward end and disposed within the drawer guide track between the top and bottom walls thereof; and said drawer guide track having a roller mounted rotatably on said inner side wall thereof outside of the drawer guide track and adjacent its rearward end and disposed within the case guide track between the top and bottom walls thereof; said rollers being mounted for rotation about transverse horizontal axes.

8. A guide structure as set forth in claim 7, in which said rollers are mounted at such levels on the respective tracks as to support the drawer guide on the case guide with the top and bottom walls of the drawer guide track disposed at slightly higher levels than the top and bottom walls respectively of the case guide track.

9. A bottom mounted guide structure for drawers and the like comprising: a case guide and a drawer guide each comprising a horizontally elongated hollow track of generally rectangular cross-section, each track having vertically spaced bottom and top walls; the case guide track having a vertically extending flange secured to its bottom wall at one side thereof and extending upward from said bottom wall, a longitudinal slot adjacent an upper corner thereof at said one side, and a roller mounted rotatably on said flange outside the track adjacent the forward end thereof and receivable within the drawer guide track between the top and bottom walls thereof; the drawer guide track having a vertically extending flange secured to its top wall at the opposite side thereof and extending downwardfrom said top. wall, a longitudinal slot adjacent a lower corner thereof at said opposite side, and a roller mounted rotatably on said flange outside the track adjacent the rearward end thereof and receivable within the case guide track between the top and bottom walls thereof; the slot. of each track being formed to slidably receive a portion of the flange of the other track.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Baird Apr. 1, 1947 Baker Aug. 22, 1950 Doty Aug. 7, 1951 Baker Nov. 6, 1951 

